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Key Information

Travis James Egedy[9][10] (born May 1, 1985),[8][11][non-primary source needed] better known by his stage name Pictureplane, is an American electronic musician, visual artist and fashion designer based in Brooklyn, New York.[12] He first appeared in the music scene of Denver, Colorado, making a name for himself at Rhinoceropolis, the DIY space where he also lived.[13] He has been credited for coining the term "witch house".[14] He is also a founder of the fashion brand Alien Body.[15]

Biography

[edit]

Born in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Travis Egedy grew up a fan of hip hop.[16] In 2001, he started making music, using the Magix Music Maker software.[16] He was a member of the hip hop group Thinking in Circles.[16] He moved to Denver, Colorado to attend the Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design.[16] While at RMCAD, he became interested in noise and experimental music.[16] In 2004, he started using the pseudonym Pictureplane.[16] In 2006, he moved into Rhinoceropolis, the DIY space in Denver.[16]

In 2009, Pictureplane released a studio album, Dark Rift, on Lovepump United Records.[17] In 2011, he released a studio album, Thee Physical, on the label.[18] In that year, he also released Thee Negative Slave Mixtape.[19] In 2012, he moved to Brooklyn, New York.[20]

In 2014, he released The Alien Body Mixtape, which included guest appearances from Sole, Doseone, and Noah23.[21] In 2015, he released a studio album, Technomancer, on Anticon.[22] His 2018 studio album, Degenerate, was released on his own record label Alien Body Music.[23]

In 2020, Pictureplane released the first single, "Avalanche", from his upcoming 2021 album Dopamine. The album is being released through George Clanton's 100% Electronica label.[24]

In 2025, Pictureplane announced his sixth studio album, Sex Distortion, scheduled for release on October 31, 2025, through Music Website. The record, produced by Egedy himself and mastered by Ben Greenberg, features the singles "Heaven Is a State of Mind," "Velvet Lies (Metallic Garden)," and "Weeping Sky," the latter accompanied by a music video co-directed with Chris Burden.[25][26][27]

Discography

[edit]

Studio albums

[edit]
  • Pictureplane (2004)
  • Covered in Blood, Surrounded by Text (2005)
  • Slit Red Bird Throat (2005)
  • Turquoise Trail (2007)
  • Dark Rift (2009)
  • Thee Physical (2011)
  • Technomancer (2015)
  • Sinister Current (2017) (as Upsetter)
  • Degenerate (2018)
  • Dopamine (2021)
  • Sex Distortion (2025)

Compilation albums

[edit]
  • Rare & Bloody (2013)

Mixtapes

[edit]
  • Thee Negative Slave Mixtape (2011)
  • The Alien Body Mixtape (2014)

EPs

[edit]
  • The Shining Path EP (2017) (as Upsetter)
  • The Degenerate Remixes (2019)

Singles

[edit]
  • "Trance Doll" b/w "New Mind" (2009)
  • "True Ruin Light Body" (2010)
  • "Real Is a Feeling" (2011)
  • "Self Control" (2014)
  • "Technomancer" (2015)
  • "Hyper Real" b/w "Total Confusion" (2015)
  • "Break Trance" b/w "Hot War (Cold Love)" (2016)
  • "Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand" (2017) (with So Drove)
  • "B.D.S.M" (2018)
  • "Sex Trigger (Burn in Heaven)" b/w "Low Key" (2018) (with Wicca Phase Springs Eternal)
  • "Bio-Hacker" b/w "Fever Dream" (2018) (as Upsetter)
  • "Shredder" (2019) (as Upsetter)
  • "Avalanche" (2020)
  • "Circles" (2023)
  • "Velvet Lies (Metallic Garden)" (2024)
  • "Heaven is a State of Mind" (2025)
  • "Weeping Sky" (2025)

Guest appearances

[edit]

Productions

[edit]
  • Noah23 – "Goth Star" from Lamp of Invisible Light (2011)
  • Antwon – "Living Every Dream" from End of Earth (2012)
  • Noah23 – "Tropical Fruit" from Tropical Fruit (2013)
  • Antwon – "KLF ELF" from Heavy Hearted in Doldrums (2014)
  • Noah23 – "Runnin Thru Yr Head" from Peacock Angel (2015)

Remixes

[edit]
  • Health – "Lost Time (Pictureplane RMX)" from Health//Disco (2008)
  • Sole and the Skyrider Band – "Cavalry (Pictureplane Remix)" from Sole and the Skyrider Band Remix LP (2009)
  • Future Islands – "Little Dreamer (Pictureplane's Old Dreamer Remix)" from Post Office Wave Chapel (2010)
  • Marina and the Diamonds – "Shampain (Pictureplane's Deep Dolphin Remix)" (2010)
  • Lockah – "The Sour Drink from the Ocean (Pictureplane Dark Sea Remix)" from When U Stop Feeling Like a Weirdo & Become a Threat (2012)
  • Black Marble – "Pretender (Pictureplane's Open the Door Remix)" from Weight Against the Door (2012)

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Pictureplane

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Pictureplane is the stage name of Travis Egedy (born May 1, 1985), an American electronic musician, visual artist, and fashion designer based in , New York. Egedy, originally from , emerged in the DIY music and art scene during the mid-2000s while studying at the of Art + Design. There, he immersed himself in the warehouse culture of venues like Rhinoceropolis, blending influences from hip-hop, punk, and experimental electronic music to develop his signature sound. His music often navigates tensions between noise and melody, darkness and light, incorporating elements of , industrial, gothic pop, and ambient , as heard in tracks like "Goth Star." Pictureplane gained prominence with his debut album Dark Rift in 2009, released on the Lovepump United label, which showcased his noisy, scuzzy take on dance music and helped coin the "witch house" genre. Subsequent releases include Thee Physical (2011), exploring themes of sensuality and gender; Technomancer (2015) on Anticon; Degenerate (2018); Dopamine (2021) on 100% Electronica, the latter reflecting personal struggles during the COVID-19 pandemic; and Sex Distortion (2025). He has toured with artists such as Crystal Castles, HEALTH, and Major Lazer, and collaborated with figures like Grimes and Lil B. Beyond music, Egedy's visual art has been exhibited in galleries across the and , often delving into , emotion, and alternate realities. He also designs through his Alien Body label, drawing on symbology, themes, and critiques of societal decay.

Early life and education

Childhood and musical influences

Travis James Egedy, known professionally as Pictureplane, was born in 1985 in . Raised in the culturally eclectic environment of northern , Egedy grew up immersed in a blend of new-age influences and scenes, with his older brother Zach playing a pivotal role in introducing him to hip-hop during his early teens. By in 1999, he had discovered seminal underground rap albums like Company Flow's Funcrusher Plus, which he famously "borrowed" from a friend's older brother, sparking a preference for non-mainstream, experimental sounds over commercial rap. This exposure extended to acts from labels like Def and , often accessed via , alongside broader interests in , , and DIY punk, shaping his eclectic taste amid Santa Fe's hippie-infused, UFO-lore-rich backdrop. Egedy's transition from listener to creator began in high school, where he immersed himself in hip-hop culture, including breakdancing in eighth grade and forming a rap collective with friends. At age 16 in 2001, he taught himself music production using Magix Music Maker 7 Deluxe software, crafting initial hip-hop-inspired tracks characterized by abstract, emotionally charged beats. These early efforts culminated in the formation of the group Thinking in Circles, for which Egedy handled all production; their performances at Santa Fe's all-ages venue Warehouse 21 featured "socially conscious, abstract, emotional teenage rap" with lyrics touching on personal themes like relationships, pyramids, and extraterrestrials. What started as casual experimentation evolved into active creation through these DIY spaces, where Egedy encountered like-minded teens experimenting with underground sounds far from mainstream trends. This formative period also nurtured an early interest in , evident in his later contributions to immersive installations, which paralleled his budding musical explorations.

Move to Denver and art school

In the mid-2000s, Travis Egedy, known artistically as Pictureplane, relocated from his hometown of , to , , to pursue higher education in . At age 18, shortly after high school, he enrolled at the of Art and Design (RMCAD), where he sought to develop his longstanding passion for visual expression. At RMCAD, Egedy pursued a (BFA) degree with a focus on , studying under influential faculty such as and engaging with coursework that emphasized techniques, principles, and philosophical underpinnings of creativity. This formal training honed his skills in traditional and experimental visual media, laying the groundwork for an interdisciplinary approach that later integrated and elements into his broader artistic practice. During his studies, he began exploring the intersections of visual and sound experimentation, drawing from his earlier hip-hop influences to experiment with and forms in informal settings. Egedy's time in immersed him in the city's burgeoning DIY music and art scene, where he connected with local creatives and contributed to communal spaces that encouraged boundary-pushing collaboration. In 2005, he attended the inaugural event at Rhinoceropolis, a pivotal warehouse collective that became a hub for experimental artists, and by 2006, he had moved into the space, living there for six years until 2012. At Rhinoceropolis, Egedy collaborated with fellow residents and performers, including painter and musician Neil Ewing of Greencarpetedstairs, fostering early partnerships that blended visual installations, live performances, and shared curatorial efforts like annual drawing exhibitions. This environment amplified his interdisciplinary interests, allowing him to prototype hybrid works that merged his art school-honed design sensibilities with the raw, communal energy of Denver's underground creative community.

Musical career

Formation of Pictureplane and witch house origins (2004–2010)

Travis Egedy, an electronic musician from , , adopted the stage name Pictureplane in 2004 to explore experimental visual and sonic landscapes, influenced by his background in where elements informed his creative approach. He began self-releasing that year, crafting homemade noise-pop tracks through DIY production methods in a home studio setup that emphasized lo-fi aesthetics and raw experimentation. Early releases under the Pictureplane moniker included the 2004 self-titled effort, Covered in Blood, Surrounded by Text (2005), Slit Red Bird Throat (2007), and Turquoise Trail (2009), all distributed independently via digital platforms and limited physical copies. These works featured distorted synths, noisy textures, and thematic explorations of decay and , produced using basic recording gear to capture an intimate, unpolished sound. In , Pictureplane contributed remixes to HEALTH's album on the Lovepump United label, including a reworking of "Lost Time," which introduced his production style to a wider while highlighting his growing ties to the experimental electronic scene. A 2013 compilation, Rare & Bloody 2004-2007, later archived these formative tracks, such as "Blood All Over My Hands Again," "Colors Melt Poppy Seedlings," and " Silkscreens," underscoring the DIY ethos of his initial output. Pictureplane immersed himself in Denver's underground DIY community, regularly participating in events at the Rhinoceropolis warehouse venue, a hub for experimental and acts. His performances there, including a 2009 tour kickoff and CD release show featuring extended sets of immersive electronic soundscapes, fostered connections with like-minded artists such as the Chicago-based group Salem, whose drag-influenced, slowed-down beats aligned with emerging genre boundaries. Around 2009, Pictureplane, alongside producer Shams (Jonathan Coward), coined the term "" as an inside joke to describe their occult-tinged electronic music, blending chopped-and-screwed hip-hop techniques—characterized by slowed tempos and pitch-shifted vocals—with abrasive noise elements and mystical, gothic visuals. Tracks like Pictureplane's "Goth Star" embodied this fusion, incorporating eerie samples, heavy bass, and references to themes, which quickly resonated beyond . Specific 2009–2010 mixtapes and digital shares from this era, distributed through blogs and online forums, served as key entry points for broader recognition, linking Pictureplane's work to the nascent witch house movement and attracting attention from international listeners.

Breakthrough with Dark Rift and relocation to Brooklyn (2011–2015)

In 2011, Pictureplane released his second studio album, Thee Physical, on the Lovepump United label, marking a significant step forward from his 2009 debut Dark Rift and solidifying his presence in the electronic music scene with its exploration of human touch amid digital alienation. Produced by Travis Egedy and co-mixed by Jupiter Keyes of HEALTH, the album featured tracks like "Real Is a Feeling" and "Techno Fetish," blending synth-pop and electro elements with themes of technological eroticism and body modification. This release garnered critical attention for its polished production and departure from lo-fi witch house origins, while briefly nodding to those roots through hazy, atmospheric synth layers. Following the album's launch, Pictureplane toured extensively in 2011, performing over 70 shows across and , which boosted his visibility through high-energy live sets emphasizing visual projections and DIY aesthetics. In 2012, Egedy relocated from to , New York, seeking broader creative opportunities within the city's vibrant electronic and punk scenes, a move that facilitated partnerships and immersed him in a network of like-minded artists. This relocation coincided with increased exposure, including tours alongside and , as well as festival appearances such as , where his performances highlighted a fusion of rave energy and experimental soundscapes. That year also saw the release of the remix EP Dimensional Rip 7, featuring reinterpretations of Thee Physical tracks by artists like , Tearist, and Extreme Animals, underscoring collaborative efforts that expanded his sonic palette. In 2018, he supported the Snowblood Tour, opening for and across . By 2015, Pictureplane signed with the independent label , releasing Technomancer on October 30, which represented a notable evolution in production toward denser, dystopian influenced by and themes rather than earlier witch house haziness. Tracks such as "Sick Machine" and "Esoterrorist" incorporated darkwave beats, industrial percussion, and soaring synths to evoke man-versus-machine anxieties, with Egedy handling production to create a more cinematic, high-concept narrative. The album's release was promoted through North American tours and a thematic for the title track, emphasizing visual storytelling that aligned with his multidisciplinary background, further cementing his transition to wider audiences during this period.

Independent label era and stylistic evolution (2016–2025)

Following the release of his 2015 album Technomancer on , Pictureplane, born Travis Egedy, transitioned to greater independence by founding his own , Alien Body Music, in 2018. This move allowed for direct oversight of his creative output, with Degenerate serving as the label's inaugural release on September 18, 2018. The album, self-produced by Egedy and limited to 500 purple and red vinyl pressings, explored motifs of neon , techno-mysticism, , and the macabre across 12 tracks. In 2021, Egedy released on July 9 via 100% , marking a shift toward more polished and futurepop elements while retaining undertones. Self-produced and composed entirely by Egedy, the 11-track album featured collaborations with artists including and Yawns on "Black Chardonnay," alongside standout singles like "Aerial Black." Egedy's output continued with singles, including the 2022 release "" featuring Yawns via 100% , distributed digitally via platforms like and for broader accessibility. In 2024, he issued "Gentleness" featuring PROMISELAND, emphasizing evolving electronic textures. His stylistic progression incorporated denser sampling and dance-oriented rhythms, blending romance-infused motifs with shadowy electronic atmospheres, as evident in self-releases that prioritized for direct fan engagement and vinyl/cassette preorders. Culminating this era, Sex Distortion arrived on October 31, 2025, via Music Website, comprising 13 tracks that further refined Egedy's fusion of synth-driven dance and introspective themes. The album included singles such as "Weeping Sky," accompanied by an official , "Heaven is a State of Mind," and "Velvet Lies (Metallic Garden)," highlighting ongoing collaborations and digital-first promotion strategies.

Artistic style and influences

Musical themes and production techniques

Pictureplane's music recurrently explores themes of and identity, often intertwining them with explorations of sensuality and the body as sites of transformation. In albums like Thee Physical (2011), these motifs manifest through lyrics and sonic textures that evoke a "dark " aesthetic, challenging binary notions of while celebrating fluidity as a form of liberation and ambiguity. Similarly, the duality of agony and ecstasy permeates his work, portraying emotional extremes as intertwined forces—painful longing juxtaposed with euphoric release—rooted in personal and cultural tensions around desire and vulnerability. imagery further enriches this landscape, drawing on techno-mysticism and elements to symbolize hidden spiritual dimensions within modern existence, as seen in tracks that blend ritualistic atmospheres with futuristic alienation. emerges as a core concept, blurring the lines between authentic experience and simulated worlds, particularly in how mediates human connection and self-perception. For instance, in "Goth Star" from (2009), a sampled and recontextualized vocal from Fleetwood Mac's "Seven Wonders" evokes nostalgia and emotional intimacy amid a vast, echoing distance, creating a hyperreal fusion of past pop innocence with gothic longing. His production techniques emphasize lo-fi experimentation, heavily relying on samplers and synthesizers to construct dense, layered soundscapes that merge with melodic hooks. Early works utilized accessible software like for , evolving to modern digital audio workstations (DAWs) such as , which allow for intricate manipulation of electronic sounds and samples into poignant, weaponized compositions. Chopped-and-screwed effects—pitching down vocals and slowing tempos to induce a disorienting, dreamlike —are signature methods, infusing tracks with a hypnotic, otherworldly quality drawn from hip-hop and electronic traditions. This approach blends genres like , , and indietronica through and layering: abrasive bursts collide with shimmering melodies, creating a push-pull dynamic that mirrors thematic tensions. In "Technomancer" (2015), vocal manipulations distort the human voice into ethereal, cyber-occult chants, layered over droning synths and sampled alarms to evoke a dystopian of and , where agony-ecstatic transcendence is sonically amplified. Visual-audio is integral to Pictureplane's , with production choices often designed to complement elements like album artwork and videos, enhancing the immersive and hyperreal motifs. For example, the mirrored, claustrophobic visuals accompanying "Technomancer" reflect the track's distorted vocals and synth-driven propulsion, forging a multisensory experience of fractured identity and technological ecstasy. Noise elements—harsh, industrial tones—interrupt melodic flows to underscore agony, while synthpop-inflected hooks provide ecstatic release, as in the lurching groove of "Goth Star," where sampled diva vocals are chopped and echoed to balance intimacy with sonic vastness. This evolution from rudimentary sampling in early witch house-inspired works to polished DAW layering demonstrates a commitment to indietronica's DIY , prioritizing emotional immediacy over technical perfection.

Impact on genres like witch house and synthpop

Pictureplane, under the moniker Travis Egedy, played a pivotal role in pioneering the witch house genre during 2009–2010, coining the term as a humorous descriptor for the slow, distorted electronic sound emerging from Denver's underground scene. This aesthetic, characterized by chopped-and-screwed samples, occult imagery, and haunted house-like atmospheres, quickly gained traction beyond local circles, influencing contemporaneous artists such as oOoOO and Balam Acab who adopted similar production techniques and thematic elements like ethereal vocals over dragging beats. Egedy's early releases, including the 2009 album Dark Rift, exemplified these traits, blending hip-hop influences with gothic electronics in a way that defined the genre's DIY ethos and helped propel it into national recognition as a micro-movement within experimental electronic music. His contributions extended to revitalizing and in the early , where served as a bridge from niche underground experimentation to broader indie appeal through its fusion of buzzing analog synths, androgynous melodies, and nostalgic '80s-inspired hooks. Tracks like "Goth Star" captured an revival spirit, echoing the raw energy of or while infusing it with psychedelic distortion, which resonated in indie circles and earned placements in year-end lists for their innovative take on revivalism. This album's reception highlighted Pictureplane's ability to elevate subcultural sounds toward mainstream indie electronic, influencing subsequent acts in blending retro synth aesthetics with contemporary club textures. Pictureplane's advocacy for DIY spaces further amplified his genre impact, particularly through his involvement with Rhinoceropolis, the warehouse venue where he resided and organized shows from the mid-2000s onward, fostering a hub for experimental electronic acts and putting the city's scene on the map for touring artists. After relocating to in 2011, this ethos carried over. In genre histories, Pictureplane is credited with formalizing nomenclature, which has retrospectively shaped narratives around early electronic subcultures. His 2020s output, such as the 2021 album with its aesthetic and the October 31, 2025, release Sex Distortion featuring darkly theatrical and darkwave elements built on Italo synths and creeping drum machines, continues to explore these motifs.

Other creative pursuits

Visual arts and collaborations

Pictureplane, whose real name is Travis Egedy, has extensively incorporated his background into his musical projects, creating psychedelic and glitch-infused designs for album covers and promotional materials. For his 2009 album Dark Rift, Egedy handled all artwork, producing a cover featuring distorted, ethereal imagery that complements the record's aesthetic. Similarly, the artwork for his 2025 album Sex Distortion was designed by Egedy himself, emphasizing surreal, distorted visuals that evoke themes of altered reality and . These self-produced elements draw from his training in Denver's art schools, where he developed skills in and . Egedy has also directed and co-directed music videos that extend his visual style into moving imagery, often blending with gender-fluid and hallucinatory motifs. In 2025, he co-directed the official video for "Weeping Sky" from Sex Distortion alongside filmmaker , depicting a psychedelic night out in a misty haze with dreamlike sequences of transformation and emotional intensity. Earlier, for the 2024 track "Velvet Lies (Metallic Garden)," Egedy co-edited the video with Burden, incorporating effects and metallic, otherworldly visuals to mirror the song's darkwave pulse. These videos highlight Egedy's role in shaping the narrative visuals for his music, prioritizing experimental editing and thematic depth over conventional . Beyond music-related visuals, Egedy has pursued standalone visual art through exhibitions influenced by digital glitch aesthetics and explorations of pop culture's constructed realities. His mixed-media works, including paintings, drawings, and digital collages, have been shown in galleries across New York, such as the 2010 exhibition "Reality Engineering" at Fitness Center for Arts and Tactics in , where he combined stock imagery, corporate logos, and personal motifs to critique mediated experiences. More recently, in 2024, Egedy presented "The Disease of Astonishment," a series of paintings in that delved into astonishment and perceptual distortion through large-scale, process-intensive canvases. These pieces often ruminate on power, sex, and beauty in media, using -like disruptions to challenge viewer perceptions. During his time in Denver's DIY , Egedy contributed to immersive visual installations at Rhinoceropolis, the warehouse collective he cohabited from 2004 to 2012, blending sound performances with projections and lighting rigs to create experimental environments. As a key figure in revolutionizing the , he organized and participated in events that fused audio-visual elements, such as custom light setups for live sets that transformed the space into a dynamic, synesthetic installation. Collaborations in this era extended to joint projects with fellow artists, including work like a custom Magic: The Gathering deck created with Niko Alokin in 2016, which incorporated his visual expertise into interactive, themed artwork. These efforts underscore Egedy's interdisciplinary approach, bridging music, visuals, and community-driven creativity.

Fashion design and Alien Body brand

In 2013, Travis Egedy, known as Pictureplane, launched the Alien Body fashion brand in collaboration with the New York streetwear label Mishka, drawing inspiration from sci-fi aesthetics, symbolism, and explorations of within subcultures like cyberpunks and communities. The brand's designs emphasize apparel, incorporating metallic fabrics for a futuristic sheen and motifs such as skulls and esoteric symbols to evoke themes of societal decay and the . Alien Body has presented its collections through pop-up shops in , including events at venues like Selva NYC, allowing direct engagement with local audiences in the city's creative scenes. Key pieces include heavy-duty work jackets with riot-inspired detailing and hooded long-sleeves featuring graphics, blending functionality with symbolic elements rooted in Egedy's visual background. These designs extend to accessories like upcycled vintage jackets, each hand-screened for uniqueness. The brand integrates closely with Pictureplane's practice, producing tour merchandise and album-themed clothing lines, such as T-shirts and shorts tied to the release Degenerate, which feature provocative graphics like "Destroy all systems of control." operations are self-managed through synergies with the Alien Body label, enabling of and releases without external distribution for greater creative autonomy. Collaborations with electronic scene designers, including early partnerships like Mishka and influences from brands such as Actual Pain, have supported its growth within DIY and underground circles.

Discography

Studio albums

Pictureplane's studio albums span from early DIY CD-R releases to more polished electronic productions, reflecting an evolution from lo-fi witch house experimentation to synthpop-infused explorations of technology and emotion. Early lesser-known releases include the 2004 self-titled demo album, which served as an initial foray into electronic production. Slit Red Bird Throat (2005), another early CD-R, delved into darker, experimental electronic compositions; initially self-released in 2005, it was reissued digitally in 2007 with 13 tracks. Turquoise Trail followed in 2008, a self-released full-length with 16 tracks that blended synth and noise elements. The main studio albums are: Dark Rift (2009): Released on August 4, 2009, by Lovepump United Records, this 11-track marked Pictureplane's breakthrough, fusing with and featuring tracks like "Goth Star." Thee Physical (2011): Issued on July 19, 2011, by Lovepump United Records, the 10-track album shifted toward more physical, body-oriented electronic rhythms. Technomancer (2015): Released on October 30, 2015, by , this 11-track album explored themes of technology and through dark electronic pop. Degenerate (2018): The 12-track came out on September 18, 2018, via Alien Body Music, Pictureplane's own label, highlighting degenerate electronic sounds with tracks like "." (2021): Released on July 9, 2021, by 100% , the 11-track LP delved into euphoric , marking a collaboration with label founder . Sex Distortion (2025): Released on October 31, 2025, on Music Website, this 13-track album embraces sampladelic romance themes, blending love and distortion in raw synth arrangements.

Extended plays

Pictureplane's extended plays represent experimental forays that bridge his full-length albums, often featuring remixes or concise explorations of ongoing themes like hyperreality and physicality, providing transitional sonic experiments without the scope of studio releases. Dimensional Rip 7: Thee Physical Remixes, issued in 2012 as a self-released digital release, focused on remixes of the prior year's album of the same name, emphasizing physical sensation and dimensional concepts through contributions from artists like Grimes and Tearist; it includes 19 tracks such as "Post Physical (Tearist Invasion Remix)" and "Techno Fetish (Unicorn Kid Remix)," serving as a collaborative extension post-Dark Rift. In 2015, Hyper Real appeared on IHC 1nfinity as a two-track release with "Hyper Real" and "Total Confusion (feat. )," later expanded with a remix EP featuring versions by DARK0 and City, exploring futuristic motifs that connected to Technomancer. , part of the 2021 Aerial Black EP on 100% , comprised four tracks—"Aerial Black," "Blade Addict (Crimson Mist)," "," and "Underwater Panther (feat. fish narc)"—acting as a preview to the Dopamine album with intensified electronic textures and thematic continuity in emotional distortion.

Singles

Pictureplane's singles discography reflects his evolution from underground electronic experimentation to more polished synth-driven tracks, with many serving as lead-ins to album cycles while achieving notable streaming presence on platforms like and . Early releases emphasized lo-fi aesthetics and gained cult followings in DIY scenes, while later ones, particularly post-2020, incorporated broader pop elements and visual accompaniments, amassing millions of streams collectively. The following table enumerates key standalone singles in chronological order, including release dates, labels, B-sides where applicable, and notes on videos or remixes:
TitleRelease DateLabelB-Sides/Notes
Trance Doll / Cyberpunk2008Real EarthSplit single with BDRMPPL; Cyberpunk as B-side; no official video.
Goth StarJuly 2009Lovepump UnitedPromotional single ahead of Dark Rift album; featured in Pitchfork review; no B-side.
Beyond FantasyMarch 8, 2010Self-releasedSample-based track; free download; remix elements from Baby D's "Let Me Be Your Fantasy"; no video.
True Ruin Light Body2010Isomorph RecordsStandalone digital single; ethereal production; no B-side or video noted.
Real Is a Feeling2011Lovepump UnitedLead single from Thee Physical; B-side includes instrumental version; gained traction in electronic blogs.
Thee Physical2011Lovepump UnitedDouble A-side with remixes; video directed by Travis Egedy; over 1 million streams.
Self Control2014Alien Body MusicSynthpop single; remix by Com Truise; no B-side; tied to The Alien Body Mixtape.
Technomancer2015Alien Body MusicTitle track single from EP; futuristic themes; video features cyberpunk visuals co-directed with collaborators.
AvalancheAugust 7, 2020100% ElectronicaLead single for Dopamine album; no B-side; visualizer released; peaked at top electronic streaming charts independently.
Heaven Is a State of MindMay 7, 2025Alien Body MusicDigital single; introspective lyrics; remix version by Liam Gordon; Bandcamp exclusive initially; 500,000+ streams in first month.
Weeping SkySeptember 4, 2025Music WebsiteLead single for Sex Distortion album; no B-side; music video co-directed by Travis Egedy and visual artist Mia Forrest, premiered on YouTube; slowed-down goth-trance style; 300,000 streams upon release.
Additional singles from 2016–2025 include "Hyper Paradise" (2016, self-released with Balam Acab remix), "Degenerate" (2018, Alien Body Music, video-directed), "Night Falls" (2025, EP single with metallic remix), "Nancy Downs" (2025, promotional track), "Velvet Lies (Metallic Garden)" (2025, B-side remix included), and "Gentleness" (2025, featuring PROMISELAND, Liam Gordon remix). These tracks highlight Pictureplane's consistent output, often self-produced and distributed via Bandcamp, contributing to his enduring influence in electronic subgenres without major label backing.

Mixtapes

Pictureplane's mixtapes represent a key aspect of his early DIY ethos, emerging from the underground scene where free digital releases fostered direct fan engagement and experimentation beyond commercial constraints. Thee Negative Slave , released on April 8, 2011, as a free digital download via , served as an anthology of witch house-inspired tracks, blending Pictureplane's original productions with to showcase the genre's hazy, occult-tinged aesthetic. The nine-track collection highlights include "Cyber Climax" and "Closer Now" by Pictureplane, alongside his of Becoming Real's "Closer (Pictureplane's No Body )," emphasizing slowed-down synths, chopped samples, and ethereal vocals that captured the movement's core sound. This mixtape, clocking in at 34 minutes, was distributed non-commercially to build hype around Pictureplane's evolving style without formal label involvement. In 2014, Pictureplane released The Alien Body Mixtape on May 1 via as a free digital download, functioning as a curated compilation that explored themes of alienation and glitchy futurism through collaborative and experimental cuts. The seven-track set features highlights such as "Pleasure Garden," "Fog Dialogue," and "The Helen Keller of Dead Cops" featuring Sole, alongside a of "Skin Town '2 Nite'" and closing with "The Glitch," which incorporates distorted electronics and guest spots from and Noah23 to delve into psychedelic hip-hop and darkwave intersections. Running 22 minutes, it underscored Pictureplane's shift toward multimedia integration, tying into his Alien Body while offering fans accessible entry points to his broader creative output. No major mixtape releases from Pictureplane appear in the 2020s, though he continued sharing live DJ mixes digitally, such as the 2023 "Dungeon Trance" set recorded in .

Critical reception and legacy

Reviews of key albums

Pictureplane's debut album (2009) received positive critical attention for its innovative fusion of elements with nostalgic and punk DIY aesthetics. awarded it a 7.3 out of 10, praising its sound-melding capabilities that pushed beyond mere nostalgia into more affecting territory, particularly highlighting tracks like "Goth Star" and "Gang Signs" for their languid, contemporary groove that allowed clipped vocals and delayed synth loops to nurture rather than stifle the rhythm. The follow-up Thee Physical (2011) built on this foundation, earning a 7.0 from for refining the blasted-electro approach of Dark Rift into more accessible pop structures while exploring themes of technological eroticism and . Collaborations with HEALTH's Jupiter Keyes added sonic immediacy, balancing industrial aggression with sensuality in tracks like "Real Is a Feeling" and "Post Physical," marking an evolution toward broader electronic appeal. Technomancer (2015) represented a shift toward slower, ethereal synths and vibes, eliciting mixed responses. gave it a 5.9, critiquing the album's tamer energy and pedestrian elements compared to prior works, though acknowledging its strong production and dystopian man-vs.- concept. In contrast, rated it 7 out of 10, lauding its anarchic, genre-blending experimentation—from industrial and rave-pop to —in tracks like "Esoterrorist," describing it as a riotous, fun, and socially conscious effort. Degenerate (2018), a self-released effort on Pictureplane's , received limited mainstream coverage but garnered positive user acclaim for its and futurepop directions, with an average rating of 3.3 out of 5 on , noted for its perversely sexy excursion. Dopamine (2021), released on 100% , explored personal struggles during the through a mix of and darkwave, earning praise for its emotional depth and production. Flood Magazine highlighted its vulnerability and sonic evolution, calling it a "beautiful yet heavy" return to form that blends wild strains of electronic music with themes. The 2025 release Sex Distortion has been well-received in early reviews for its darkwave interpretations and exploration of romance in shadowy contexts. Treble praised its entertaining blend of ethereal synths, syncopated beats, and relatable songwriting on tracks like "Night Falls" and "Bitter Blossom," which use metaphors of pain and passion to convey gothic romance, positioning it as groovy and accessible synth-pop. Overall, critical reception to Pictureplane's albums reflects an evolution from niche praise for witch house innovation in the late 2000s to mixed reactions on the 2015 techno pivot, culminating in broader recognition within synthpop and darkwave scenes by the 2020s, with scores trending upward in recent user and indie evaluations.

Influence on electronic music and DIY scenes

Pictureplane played a pivotal role in popularizing as a global phenomenon during the late and , coining the term alongside Jonathan Coward of Shams in 2009 as an in-joke to describe their dark, distorted electronic sound blending chopped-and-screwed hip-hop influences with occult aesthetics. This label, first mentioned by Pictureplane (Travis Egedy) in a guest list for the best of 2009, quickly snowballed into a recognized , inspiring bedroom producers worldwide to experiment with lo-fi synths, slowed tempos, and surreal visuals. The movement's reach extended to labels like Tri Angle Records, which amplified similar acts, and festivals such as , where Pictureplane performed alongside contemporaries, fostering cross-pollination with and experimental electronic scenes. In the DIY electronic scene, Pictureplane's residency at Denver's Rhinoceropolis warehouse from 2006 to 2012 exemplified a raw, communal model that influenced subsequent collectives and underground venues. This artist-run space hosted early shows, including Pictureplane's collaborations with acts like Modern Witch, and served as a hub for idea-sharing among emerging producers, where Egedy emphasized unfiltered artistic development over commercial constraints. Rhinoceropolis's legacy as a fire-code-defying haven for noise, hip-hop, and pop experimentation inspired similar DIY operations in cities like New York, promoting mentorship through informal networks rather than formal structures, and enabling artists to transition from local scenes to international tours. Key albums like (2009) acted as sonic vehicles for this ethos, distributing DIY principles via accessible digital releases. Pictureplane's broader impact extended to electronic fashion crossovers, co-founding the Alien Body brand in , which merges occult-inspired with production themes drawn from nightlife and hyperreal aesthetics. His 2021 album , released on 100% , highlighted this fusion, influencing 2020s artists in post-witch house by blending sensory distortion with visual identity, as seen in echoes within acts exploring similar blurred realities. Culturally, Pictureplane receives credits in indie electronic histories, such as Academy's 2019 retrospective on witch house's mainstream infiltration and Stereogum's 2020 analysis of the genre's decade-long evolution, underscoring his foundational contributions up to the mid-2020s.

References

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